Step-ladder



(No Model.)

s. WRIGHT.

STEP LADDER. No. 341,535.v Patented May 11, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL WEIGHT, on rEoEIA, ILLINoIs.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,535, dated May l,1886.

Application filed September?, 1885. Serial No. 176,366. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WRIGHT, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria,in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Step-Lad der, and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription there of, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, in which like letters of referencerefer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents a perspectiveview of the ladder; Fig. 2, a detail sido view of the upper portion ofthe ladder; Fig. 3, a View of the ball part of the ball-andsocket jointthat unites each prop-stick to the upper step or platform of the'ladder;Fig. 4, a plan view of the socket of said joint; Fig. 5, a plan view ofthe bracket for joining the stile to the platform-step; Fig. G, a sideview of the same with section of said socket; Fig. 7, asectional view ofthe joint which unites the vertex of the triangular brace totheplatform-step; Fig. 8,asec tional view showing the fastening forjoining the lower corners of the triangular brace to the prop-sticks;Fig. 9, a view of the cross-bar of the triangular brace to which theholding-link of the prop-sticks connects; Fig. l0, a view of theextensible stile-slide; Fig. ll, a sectional edge view of same; Fig. 12, a side view of the forked brace for the stile-steps; Fig. 13, a frontview ot' the same.

This invention is of that class of step-ladders in which the prop-sticksare adapted to have a more or less independent swing, whereby to enablethe same to stand firmly upon uneven ground.

What this invention particularly relates to is the effecting ofimprovements in the various details of construction-wiz., the brace forsupporting the prop sticks against lateral pressure, the joints forsecuring said brace to the prop-sticks and the stile, the joints forpivoting the prop-stcks to the stile, the braces for strengthening thesteps, and the means for enabling the stile to have either or both sideselongated.

To permit the prop-sticks of a step-ladder to have independent swing,for enabling them to rest evenly upon rough ground, and still so bracingthem as to have them hold the ladder Ir'nily against any side pressure,is the object of the part of my invention which consists of thetriangular framewhich is loosely secured to the prop-sticks and thestile. From a suit'- able cross-bar in this triangular frame a linkextends to one of the steps of the stile, and the joints of said frameto the prop-sticks and to the stile being sufiiciently loose, thepropsticks and the frame can be oscillated more or less about a verticalaxis, so as to bring the lower ends of said prop-sticks at unequaldistances from the lstile, one, prop-stick approaching the stile inthesame proportion that the other receded therefrom.

In the drawings, A A represent the side bars of the stile; A, the upperstep or platform thereof, and A2 the intermediate steps.

B B are the prop-sticks, secured at their upper ends to the platform Aby means of the ballandesocket joints E.

Y Cis the triangular frame consisting of the bars C C and Ct'.

At the junction of the two bars C is the joint, which, to permit themovement of the triangular brace C required by the unequal placing ofthe prop-sticks, I construct as follows: Between the joined ends of saidbars C', I usually fasten the triangular block Ji, vertically throughwhich and said bar ends,exteriol thereto, is bored the hole J i. 'ithinthis hole J'l is inserted the easily-movable pin J, the npper end ofwhich is provided with the eye J. By means of this eye and thesocket-piece J said pin is pivoted to the under side of the platform AnThis joint permits, it will be noticed, the required loosenoss ofconnection of the triangular brace C to the plat-form, and yet issufficiently rigid against lateral displacement to fit the brace for itsoffice.

The pivotal center of the pin J must be approximately in line betweenthe universal joints connecting the prop-sticks to the platform, so thatthe amount of vertical play' of the pin J in the brace, or rather theplay of the brace C on said pin, shall not be increased above thatrequired, for the hereinafter-stated reasons.

When the prop-sticks B are at equal distances from the stile, both theyandthe triangular b race C are in the same plane. Vhcn, however, saidsticks are relatively displaced, they are in non-parallel planes, andthe triangular brace C is in still another plane. rI'his, there fore,necessitates a pivotal connection of the IOO lower corners of the braceC to the prop-sticks B, which is accomplished by means of the bolts Bpassing through suitable apertures in said prop-sticks and held to saidcorners by the straps K', through which they pass. These straps K beingfirmly nailed or otherwise fastened about said corners, and the saidbolts K having the heads Kz at their ends within said straps, thedesired rotation of joints is permitted, and yet the brace C is securelyheldvto the prop-sticks. Fig. 8 shows said joints K.

To keep the prop-sticks B from spreading too far away from the stilewhen upon smooth surfaces is the purpose of the link H, which is at oneend attached to a step of the ladder, and at the other end to thecross-bar G. This cross-bar is secured to the triangular brace C bybeing formed of malleable iron made with the lugs G and lips G2. Saidlugs G being in serted into indentations in the wood, and the lips G2being bent thereabout, as in Fig. 9, the crossbar G is securely held inplace without screws or rivets.

The brackets for securing the stiles A to the platform A consist of thehorizontal strips D', adapted to be fastened to the under side of saidplatform', and of the semicircles D adapted to be fastened to the saidstiles.

The means for hinging the prop-stieks B to the platform A consist of thesockets E, secured to said platform, and of the balls F, inserted withinsaid sockets and rigidly affixed to the said prop-sticks. The balls F, Iusually form of cast metal, and fashion therewith the clips F2,separated therefrom by the short neck F. Said clips inclose between themthe upper part of the prop-stick, and rivets or screws being insertedthrough said clips and the propstick, the ball F is thereby rigidlysecured to the end of said prop-stick. To lighten each ball F, I do notform it as a complete sphere, but have it consist of three zones meetingeach otherat rightangles. Each socket Eis formed with ears E, whereby toscrew the same to the under side of the platform A. The notch or slotE', through a portion of said socket, is for the passage of the neck Fof the ball F. To secure the ball-and-socket joint firmly to the bracketD, there is formed the dovetail notch E2 in said socket E, and thebracket D is provided with the projection D2, made dovetailed at itsbase to fit said notch. The, extremity of said projection D`Z is bentdownward to partially close the slot E and form an abutment thereat forthe ball F. The center portion of the projection D2 becomes an abutmentto receive the direct upward pressure of the ball F. This union of thebracket and the socket enables me to dispense with other fastenings forsaid bracket than the screw at D5.

For the sake of lightness the stiles A are usually split and separated ashort distance.

'Io brace these split stiles and the steps-firmly together I havedevised the forked brace R, the single end of which is screwed to theunder side of the step, and the bifurcated ends to the two parts of thesplit stile. By this forked brace R not only is the step securely bracedagainst each of the two parts of the stile, but.

said split stile is thereby held more firmly together.

To perfectly adapt the ladder to rest firmly vupon the most unevensurfaces, I make each -and adapted to have its lower end engage withsaid corrugated strip M by means of the spring P2,embedded within arecess in the stile, and held in position in its contact with the dog bythe lug P, thereby enables the slide L to be held at any desired pointof elongation. By impressing the upper ends of the said dogs P theirlower ends are thrown out of engagement with the slides, and the lattercan then be returned up in place. By means of the crescent springsO,which I sometimes insert between the slides and their stiles, saidslides are thereby aided in staying in place against the pull ofgravity. I usually, however, form the springs I2 of the dogs Psufficiently powerful to keep said slides up in place without any extrahelp.

In using my step-ladder all that is ordinarily necessary to do is simplyswing the propsticks out away from the ladder, when the lower endsthereof, coming in contact with the ground, so turn the prop-sticks thatone touching nearer the ladder and the other farther away rest firmlyand evenly. In case the ladder itself does not stand sufciently upright,one or other of the extension-slides L is pushed downward until therequired evening up thereof is procured.

Although I have shown the triangular brace C as having its vertexsecured to the platform A, this triangular brace can be inverted, thebars C being pivoted either to the platform A or to the upper Vportionsof the prop-sticks, and the vertex thereof attached to the cross-bar C2by the joint-J, said cross-bar not being displaced fromv its formerposition, the essential part of the triangular brace C being that of itsability to turn in different planes than the prop-sticks and yet berigid against any lat# eral deflection.

What I claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

1. The combination, with the step-ladder having the prop-sticks looselyhinged to it, of

the brace consisting of the three bars secured together to form therigid triangle, and loosely attached at its vertices to the prop-sticksand IOO IIO

ladder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the step-ladder having its prop-sticks looselyhinged thereto,

of the triangular brace C, attached at its lower corners to theprop-sticks and at its vertex to the platform of the ladder, and havingthe cross-bar and link` connecting the same to a step of the ladder,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a joint for permitting the triangular brace C to have areciprocal, oscillatory, and rotative movement, the combination, withthe said brace C, having the hole J 2, of the pin J, removablein saidhole and having the eye J', and a socket-piece for said eye,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the step-ladder, its prop-sticks, and thetriangular brace C, of the triangular block J having the hole J 2therein, the pin J, removable in said hole and having `the eye J', andthe sockct-picce J3 for said eye, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the step-ladder, its prop-sticks, and thetriangular brace, of the block J t, having` the hole J2, the strap J5,the pin J, having eye J, and the socketpiece J, for pivoting said pin tothe upper step of the ladder, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

6. In ajoint for attaching the lower corner of the triangular brace G tothe prop-stick B, the bolt K, passing through the prop-stick and havingnut K2, and the strap K, affixed about the corner of said brace, allcombined as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a balland-socket joint, the socket E, having notch E, incombination with the ball F, formed of three zones meeting at rightangles, and having the clips F2 proj cctin g from its neck F', as setforth.

S. The combination, with the step-ladder and its prop-sticks, of thebracket D, attached to the said ladder and having the dovetailedprojection D2, and the socket E, having dovetail notch Ff, and the earsE.

E, adapted to fit said dovetail, and also having the deep notch E andthe ears E, and the.

ball F, adapted to fit within said socket, and having the clips F2projecting from its neck F', substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

10. In a cross-bar, the bar G, formed of malleable metal and having thelugs G and the lips G2, as and for the purpose specified.

1l. The combination, 'with a ladder having split side bars, of theforked brace It, having its bifurcated ends It secured to the said splitside bars, and having its single end attached to the step, substantiallyas set forth.

12. In a step-ladder of the kind having slides at thelower ends of thestiles longitudinally adjustable by means of serrations in the slidesand dogs engaging therewith, the combination, with the step-ladder, ofthe slides having longitudinal grooves therein, and serrated metallicstrips inserted in said grooves,

and the dogs engaging with said serrations, as and forthe purpose setforth.

13. In a stcpdadder ofthe kind having slides at the lower ends of. thestilcs longitudinally adjustable by means of scrrations in the slidesand dogs engaging therewith, the combination, with thc step-ladder, ofthe slides having longitudinal grooves therein and the serrated metallicstrips in said grooves, the dogs engaging with said serrations, andhaving the lugs and the coiled springs kept in place by means of saidlugs and recesses in the ladder, as and for the purpose specified.

14. rIhe combination, with the step-ladder SAMUEL VRIGHT.

In presence of A. B. UPHAM, p H. W. WELLs.

